MRI: Acquisition of Tri-Institutional, Cyber-Enabled Chemistry MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometer

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With this award from the Major Research Instrumentation program (MRI), Ivan J. Dmochowski from the University of Pennsylvania will acquire a matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization, time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometer that will be shared in a cyber-enabled configuration with researchers at two neighboring universities in West Philadelphia, Drexel University and University of the Sciences in Philadelphia. The instrumentation will be used for research involving biological and synthetic molecules of mid-high molecular weights. Specific examples are studies of oligo-anthracycline complexing, chemoselective ligations and controlled oligomerization reactions, development of chemical tools for studying complex biological systems for study of organic synthesis of biomacromolecules, as well as bacterial protein expression. Undergraduate and graduate students from chemistry and biochemistry majors at the three participating institutions will be able to conduct academic-year and summer research.MALDI-TOF-mass spectrometry is the technique of choice for obtaining accurate molecular weights of very large molecules, with extremely high sensitivity. Use of a MALDI-TOF mass spectrometer has therefore become a standard technique, especially in studies involving biomolecules. This research will have a significant impact in a number of areas, especially chemistry and biochemistry.